Hope dominates season-opening cross country meet

Both Hope College cross country teams marked the start of the season by winning their own invitational on Saturday.

Competing in the Bill Vanderbilt Invitational at the Ridge Point Community Church course, the Flying Dutch won the five-team women's 5K for the third consecutive year while the Flying Dutchmen took the 8K men's crown by edging two-time defending champion Albion by four points.

Hope totaled 18 points in the women's standings followed by Albion 61, Cornerstone 65 and Muskegon Community 106. Hope junior Sheri McCormack (Holland West Ottawa HS) ran away from the field with a course record time of 18:17. Leading Cornerstone was Jill Louisignau in third place (19:02) while topping Muskegon CC was Kaitlin Truman in 12th (20;14).

In the men's race Albion took the first three places, but Hope took five of the next six to total 39 points. Albion ended with 43 points followed by Cornerstone 67 and Muskegon Community 85. Albion junior Paul Lewis led the field with a time of 26:15. Leading Hope was Blake Rottschafer in fifth place (26:26). The first Cornerstone runner was Travis Mabe in fourth (26:23 while topping Muskegon CC was Mathias Waterstradt in 14th (27:21).